Faemina Virdunensis

Engraving, part of 'Habitus variarum orbis gentium' (Costumes of the various peoples of the world), representing the costumes of men and women from various parts of the world, engraved after designs by Boissard and published by Rutz in 1581.

This engraving represents three women from Verdun. On the left, the first woman wears a long dress with open ruff collar and puff sleeves, made with a brocaded fabric with a pattern of scrolling foliage. A jeweled belt hangs around her waist, and she holds the long train of her skirt on the right hand. On the left hand she holds a handkerchief with fringed border. She wears a large, triangular headdress with loose fabric edges.

On the center, the second woman wears a long-sleeved dress with high ruff collar, with lace (?) trimmings on the front, and a stomacher with horizontal stripes. The cuffs of the long puff sleeves of her dress are ruffled. A long apron hangs from her waist at the front of her skirt, and she holds its edge on the right hand. A triangular-shaped headdress with loose fabric edges adorns her head.

On the right, the third woman wears a long-sleeved dress with fur trimmings on the shoulders and an open ruff collar, with a brocaded foliage pattern on the upper part, fur trimmings on the bustline, and a striped stomacher. The skirt is long and with train, and has a long apron at the front. A braided belt with (possibly jeweled) flowers hangs under her bodice, over the apron. Her headdress is of the same kind as the other two.